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While most of us would agree that such tandem dives can, and have been done, they increase the level of risk to both divers in a way that is hard to agree with, especially if even the "diver" is really just a novice, or beginning diver.

I certainly do not think that the basic scuba forum is any place to condone such dives, at all, as they do carry heightened risk that is just plain unnecessary, and we do not wish other beginning divers to risk their lives because of some odd suggestion they have read in here..

Last edited by MMM; April 25th, 2012 at 07:47 PM.
Reason: references to deleted post removed

There's an obvious difference between what you can do and what you should do. The difference between those two states is often dictated by the risk you wish to subject yourself, or others, to.

Rather than provide a definitive yes/no to either state... it's more beneficial to encourage the use of individual common sense.

Step 1 - Understand the risks and how they can be mitigated.
Step 2 - Understand the capabilities of the divers concerned, including yourself.
Step 3 - Make an informed, reasonable and common-sense, decision based upon the information you have.

When it comes to people at 'dive pro' level - then such decisions go beyond simple common-sense, because they have additional requirements that are imposed by duty-of-care (exhibiting reasonable prudence in their professional activities) and also the imposition of mandatory agency standards on how they conduct specific activities.

We went down and while he went lobstering I swam around behind. I reckon I had dived at least a dozen times before hearing about licenses. I am not advocating this kind of instruction but it does exist.

A 13-YEAR-OLD schoolgirl is being sued by a classmate over a tennis court mishap at one of Queensland's top private schools in the latest blow to playground fun. The legal claim, over a bruised eye, has raised concerns that "litigation-crazy'' parents could threaten the future of school sport by forcing up insurance costs.

Except if your status is not updated, I highly doubt you're qualified for that.
People have died in pool training sessions, and really shallow dives.
The 100% safe conditions doesn't exist.
You said the person you intend to take diving knows what are the risks, allow me to have also doubt about that.

As many people said before, this is a bad idea.

In many places, a DSD is definetely not that expensive, and doesn't mean it's going to be 12 students for 1 instructor.
It means a qualified person doing his job.

I experienced this in Europe before I was certified. An instrudtor would attach himself to the non-diver (like tandem parachute) who wanted to experience diving. You are given the basics, like how to clear befor you are taken under.

I have, sadly seen almost the same in the Red Sea.
Some DM/Guides actually just share air with the first diver to run low and then finish the dive when the next diver gets low on air..
That IS with certified divers in their group, but the DM/guide would be seriously inhibited with regards to helping anyone when hes busy buddy breathing with another diver. NOT the kind of dive op I would want to go diving with..

If your face aint numb.. It aint a cold water dive!
I wonder if periodic short term exposure to risk can decrease your longterm risk of accidents. I hope it does..